I'm an idiot...black tank

stefie19 · 08-23-2017, 03:45 PM

Ok, so today I was distracted from my job of flushing the black tank. *Sigh* I walked away while I had the hose hooked up to the black tank and went inside our Roo to put some things away. About 10 mins goes by and my husband yells that there is water pouring off the roof and what the heck is leaking so bad. I quickly run through the list of possible explanations (AC condensation, water from the previous night's rain, etc.) and then it dawns on me that the black tank vent is on the roof. OH $H!T, the flush!!! Ran to the back to shut the water off. Thankfully it was about the fourth time that I had run the black tank flush to it was clear water but now I'm worried that I may have caused damage that I don't see. The toilet was complete filled but hardly any water got on the floor so I'm not overly concerned with the water that we cleaned up in the bathroom. I'm more concerned with the water that ended up going up the vent. Seriously, I'm such an idiot. Never walk away from the black tank. Never.

**Flybob** · 08-23-2017, 03:56 PM

You should never connect the black tank flush without the black tank dump valve open.

007matman · 08-23-2017, 03:59 PM

The water that went up would've went back down when you drained it.

Bet you never do that again ;-)

Reminds me of a time I filled my water tank in the old pop-up. The pump was on and for some reason the switch malfunctioned. I plugged it in because I was getting it ready.. heard the pump but didn't think anything about it.

5 min later I had water coming out of everywhere. Everything in the camper was soaked and I was livid.. what a mess.

stefie19 · 08-23-2017, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flybob

You should never connect the black tank flush without the black tank dump valve open.

Helpful, thanks. Hindsight is 20/20 and I clearly made a mistake which I acknowledged. Now I'm trying to make sure my mistake isn't a costly one.

007matman · 08-23-2017, 04:13 PM

Just dry it up as much as possible.. the rest will dry out eventually.

Oakman · 08-23-2017, 04:13 PM

There's a reason most RV's with a black tank flusher also have a warning label right above the inlet that states when using the flusher the tank valve must be open.

stefie19 · 08-23-2017, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 007matman

The water that went up would've went back down when you drained it.

Bet you never do that again ;-)

Reminds me of a time I filled my water tank in the old pop-up. The pump was on and for some reason the switch malfunctioned. I plugged it in because I was getting it ready.. heard the pump but didn't think anything about it.

5 min later I had water coming out of everywhere. Everything in the camper was soaked and I was livid.. what a mess.

No, that mistake won't be made again. Really hoping that I didn't damage anything behind the walls that I can't see. I'm hoping there isn't anything broken in the vent. I need to get up on the roof I think and make sure I don't see any cracks in the vent from anything bring under pressure. I think as far as the water in the bathroom, it really wasn't much and I cleaned it up with a towel. I checked it again when we got home and didn't see any water anywhere so I think I got it all up. It certainly wasn't sitting there long enough to soak into the floor so it's really just the vent that I'm worried about.

stefie19 · 08-23-2017, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oakman

There's a reason most RV's with a black tank flusher also have a warning label right above the inlet that states when using the flusher the tank valve must be open.

I don't think there is a sticker that says that on ours but clearly I have learned that I need to make sure it's open going forward. Hopefully the vent, which is what I'm worried about, is fine.

007matman · 08-23-2017, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stefie19

No, that mistake won't be made again. Really hoping that I didn't damage anything behind the walls that I can't see. I'm hoping there isn't anything broken in the vent. I need to get up on the roof I think and make sure I don't see any cracks in the vent from anything bring under pressure. I think as far as the water in the bathroom, it really wasn't much and I cleaned it up with a towel. I checked it again when we got home and didn't see any water anywhere so I think I got it all up. It certainly wasn't sitting there long enough to soak into the floor so it's really just the vent that I'm worried about.

The vent is plastic tubing that is open at the top. There really are no high pressures there as it was being relieved out the top. Most of the time that tubing is sealed and there should not be any leakage inside the walls. Also, as long as your vent pipe was sealed on the roof you should not have any more water inside than if it rained.

D W · 08-23-2017, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stefie19

Ok, so today I was distracted from my job of flushing the black tank. *Sigh* I walked away...

Multi-tasking, it will get you in trouble during RV set-up and tear-down. Believe me, you are not the first to have an Oops!, and you won't be the last. I don't think there is anyone on this forum that hasn't had their Oops moments at some time or another, including me. Just learn to stay on one task at a time until that task is finished, then move on to another.

As for your rig, you lucked out. At least it overflowed out the vent and not the toilet. Easy to wash down. Not going to beat you up over the drain valve being closed during flush, though. Everyone else already made that point. Now you can laugh about it! Makes for a good "RV Tale".

hybridlife · 08-23-2017, 04:44 PM

Had a similar situation...was filling the black tank via the toilet and I had just put a geo-method mixture in the tank. Obviously I used a bit too much tide...filled the tank up and when I went outside to open the drain I had large amounts of foam bubbles coming out of the vent pipe! Went and installed a black-tank flush after that incident so I could stay outside and monitor everything.

m

AquaMan · 08-23-2017, 04:53 PM

You didn't hurt a thing and there's nothing to be worried about. I've seen/heard of that happening many times. The most damage it does, is to your ego and pride. [emoji23] Now you have a good story.

Rookiewood · 08-23-2017, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 007matman

The vent is plastic tubing that is open at the top. There really are no high pressures there as it was being relieved out the top. Most of the time that tubing is sealed and there should not be any leakage inside the walls. Also, as long as your vent pipe was sealed on the roof you should not have any more water inside than if it rained.

X2

stefie19 · 08-23-2017, 06:15 PM

Thanks everyone. Lesson learned. Keep valve open and DON'T GET DISTRACTED! I'm relieved that I have likely avoided any long term damage to the vent. REALLY glad that I had flushed the tank a few times and it wasn't the first go around of cleaning out the tank. Yuck!

**Flybob** · 08-23-2017, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stefie19

Helpful, thanks. Hindsight is 20/20 and I clearly made a mistake which I acknowledged. Now I'm trying to make sure my mistake isn't a costly one.

I was not trying to be sarcastic. If for some reason the vent was not operating properly, it you could have severely damaged the black tank as they are not designed to handle pressure.

Oakman · 08-23-2017, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stefie19

Thanks everyone. Lesson learned. Keep valve open and DON'T GET DISTRACTED! I'm relieved that I have likely avoided any long term damage to the vent. REALLY glad that I had flushed the tank a few times and it wasn't the first go around of cleaning out the tank. Yuck!

It could have been much worse. I know someone who made that mistake and the black tank dropped out of the bottom. That shouldn't happen but it did.

B and B · 08-23-2017, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flybob

You should never connect the black tank flush without the black tank dump valve open.

I disagree Respectfully you can close the valve and this does do a much better job at removing things.

dennisewitte · 08-23-2017, 06:39 PM

I like to try to put more water via the black tank flush into the black tank before I open the gate valve. Well, stupid me, I have filled the black tank and created quite a mess inside the trailer. Never again.

Oakman · 08-23-2017, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B and B

I disagree Respectfully you can close the valve and this does do a much better job at removing things.

While I agree you. Closing the valve increases your chance of making a mistake...and everyone makes mistakes. And a black tank mistake is one I don't want to make.

elind · 08-23-2017, 07:13 PM

I put a Y valve on my city water with a hose plumbed to the black water flush. When I'm leaving a FHU CG I use the flush to clean things out. Not once but twice I left the valve to tank washer open. The first time was in a FHU park so I drained right away with a little leakage inside and a lot pouring off the roof. The second time was a electric / water only park. No honey wagon with me, so I emptied the tank in plastic tubs and hauled them to the dump station. Last time......next time the RV goes up for sale by DW.

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